What Is Hazing?

Hazing involves traditions or rituals expected of someone joining (or maintaining membership in) a group or organization that humiliate, degrade or harm the person, but that are usually framed as community or team building. In addition to harming the person being hazed, it damages the group, organization or team by undermining the cohesion it claims to build, and it damages the reputation of the entire university community. Regardless of the person's "willingness" to participate, hazing creates a cycle of humiliation, degradation or violence.

Hazing is often associated with fraternities, but it is just as common on sports teams, in residences and in other groups or organizations. Understanding the mechanisms that perpetuate hazing traditions may help us make the change necessary to end the violence and humiliation in favour of initiation rituals that truly do build a stronger and better community.